1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for making elongated headed workpieces including a conveyor device for transporting elongated workpieces and more particularly to wire pieces transported transversely to their longitudinal axes from one treatment station into another.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The state of the art comprises apparatus which include devices for successively transporting several workpieces transversely to their longitudinal axis from one operating station into at least one other operating station by means of a guided conveyor belt to which the workpieces can be clamped by their circumferential surface.
DD-PS 41 141 discloses such a device for bringing nails, wire shanks and the like to processing tools, in particular grinding and polishing tools for removing the burr produced from stamping and perforating the eyelet part. For this purpose, the workpieces are displaced transversely to their longitudinal axis by means of a revolving elastic conveyor belt on which elastic clamping devices having two or more jaws are riveted down at intervals. When the conveyor belt turns around, these clamping devices automatically open and close to take up and deliver the workpieces and clamp them firmly as they move them past the tools. A supply device and an ejector device are used for supplying the workpieces to the clamping devices and emptying the clamping devices. In addition, spring elements are provided to keep the workpieces in the correct operating position during their delivery into the clamping devices.
By means of this known device, the workpieces to be processed can only be moved continuously past the tools for the grinding and polishing process and the elastic conveyor belt yields under the operating pressure exerted on the workpieces by the tools. The device therefore does not provide for accurately positioned and stepwise movement of the parts to the tools. Moreover, the size and shape of the jaws of the clamping device must always be accurately adapted to the diameter of the workpieces.